The Political Economy of Central Asia: Social Reproduction and Ecology

Central Asia is undergoing significant political-economic transformations, shaped by shifting geopolitical relationships, changing patterns of production and investment, energy transitions, and the movement of people and capital. Yet the regions' political economy is often examined primarily through the lenses of great-power competition, resource dependence, and geopolitical rivalry, leaving less room for critical perspectives on the social relations, institutions, and everyday practices that underpin these transformations.

The Political Economy of Central Asia is a five-part thematic seminar series bringing together scholars working on the region to explore these dynamics through critical political economy perspectives. The series aims to foster dialogue across disciplinary and geographical boundaries, connecting research on Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Xinjiang/East Turkestan and beyond) to broader debates in international political economy, development studies, and critical social sciences. 

Binazir Yusupova has just obtained a PhD from Dublin City University. Her research draws on feminist political economy to examine gender, informal labour and social reproduction in Uzbekistan, particularly women's experiences of entrepreneurship and work in bazaars. 

Madina Gazieva holds a PhD from Dublin City University, and researches the political ecology of water governance, rural livelihoods and agrarian transformation in Central Asia. Her work examines how institutions, agricultural modernisation and informal practices shape access to resources and social inequalities.

This seminar will take place online via Microsoft Teams.

Join the seminar: Join via Microsoft Teams 
Meeting ID: 343 808 749 901 960 8
Passcode: UB3aR7w7